February 8, 2013Vol. 6, No. 3

Published for Fort McCoy, Wis. — Proudly Serving America’s Army Since 1909

Garrison work force brie�ng: McCoy moving forwardFort McCoy is relevant in today’s Army

and is accomplishing all the necessary tasks to remain relevant in the years to come, said Gar-rison Commander Col. Steven W. Nott.

Nott addressed the status of the installa-tion during the annual Commander’s Briefing to the Garrison Work Force sessions held Jan. 23-24 at Fort McCoy.

A review of Fort McCoy’s mission, motto and vision reveals one central theme to tie them together, the words “training center,” and helps explain the installation’s niche in the Army, he said.

One of the first things that struck him about Fort McCoy when he assumed com-mand in 2012 was the lengthy mission state-ment, Nott said.

“When I first got here, I said, ‘�is thing is too long,’” Nott said. “But in very short order, I came to understand the brilliance of why it (the mission statement) is the way it is.”

By listing all the critical things Fort McCoy does and getting the mission statement ap-proved by leadership at various levels, it justi-fies the installation’s request to get the required resources to do its mission, such as supporting training and readiness for all branches of the armed forces, providing a full range of base op-erations support to its customers, etc.

�at buy-in helps Fort McCoy handle its transient, institution and exercise training, he said. Fort McCoy has moved on from the mobilization mission it had, which ended in October 2011, and now conducts its regular

training mission and stands ready as a second-ary mobilization site.

During its 104-year history, Fort McCoy has trained, mobilized and sent off to war mili-

Photo by Anita Johnson

Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Steven W. Nott tells members of the Garrison work force about the bene�ts of exceptional customer service. The Commander’s Brie�ng to the Garrison Work Force sessions were held Jan. 23 and Jan. 24.

(See BRIEFING page 13)

McCoy South Post military Family housing units now total 57STORY & PHOTO BY ROB SCHUETTE Public A�airs Sta�

Two more military Family housing units have been completed on Fort Mc-Coy’s South Post and have been assigned occupants, bringing the total housing units to 57.

W. Gohman Construction of St. Jo-seph, Minn., constructed the two hous-ing units. �e funding was provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as stimulus funds.

�e housing units all have the same features as other recently completed proj-ects. All include four bedrooms, kitchens, laundries, Family rooms and two-car ga-rages.

�irty-three of the 57 housing units on South Post were paid for with stimu-lus funding, said Ross O’Neil, chief of the Fort McCoy Housing Division. Con-struction of the 57 housing units occurred

Sherry Oslie (far right), Fort McCoy Family Housing manager, presents the keys to a new house in the mili-tary Family housing area on South Post to the Sta� Sgt. Elizabeth (third from right) and Lee Bushen (far left) Family. Sta� Sgt. Bushen is assigned to the sta� of the Sta� Sgt. Todd R. Cornell Noncommissioned Of-�cer Academy.

from 1998 to 2012. Roy Brewer, Fort McCoy resident en-

gineer for the Army Corps of Engineers, said the completion of these two housing units marks the end of the stimulus-fund-ed housing.

Sites for up to 130 housing units have been developed on South Post, O’Neil said.

�e strategy has and will allow the in-stallation to construct housing units when funding becomes available.

Sixty-three additional housing units are scheduled to be constructed, pend-ing congressional and funding approval. O’Neil said 56 units are scheduled to be built in fiscal year (FY) 2014, with anoth-er seven units scheduled for construction in FY 2016.

�e 63 additional military Fam-ily housing units planned will bring the South Post total to 120 units, he said.

(See HOUSING page 13)

Central Issue Facility supports Soldiers’

equipment requirementsArmy Reserve or active Army Sol-

diers needing Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) can obtain the items from the Fort McCoy Central Issue Facility (CIF), including during weekend hours that offer them extra convenience during their training at the installation.

�omas Lovgren, Fort McCoy CIF Property Book officer, said OCIE gear available at Fort McCoy includes cold-weather items, such as boots, neckwear, hoods and a seven-layer extreme cold-weather system called Generation III Extended Cold-Weather Clothing sys-tem.

�e CIF also has the traditional organization clothing and individual equipment, ranging from helmets to sleeping bags to body armor, he added.

�e CIF has regular hours from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. �ursday through Monday.

�e service is provided mainly to Reserve and active Army troops train-ing at the installation and takes into ac-count Reserve units conducting week-end battle assembly training, Lovgren said. Permanent-party Soldiers also can accomplish a permanent change of sta-tion (PCS) OCIE turn-in or re-issue so they don’t have to take the equipment with them during a PCS move.

National Guard units have their own CIF to support them, but the Fort McCoy CIF can provide them with a temporary issue to support their train-ing at Fort McCoy, if necessary.

“We realize that Soldiers’ training time at Fort McCoy is very valuable,” Lovgren said. “If units require CIF sup-port, we recommend they schedule an appointment 30 to 90 days before ar-rival. Prior coordination also allows us time to prepare the issue documents before the appointment, which reduces the amount of time spent waiting at the CIF and allows more time for train-ing.”

Units submitting Form 38 train-ing requests to Fort McCoy receive the CIF information via e-mail, which tells

(See CENTRAL page 2)

2 THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL

TRAINING

Photo by Tom Lovgren

Soldiers of the 415th Civil A�airs Battalion of Kalamazoo, Mich., are issued Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment by sta� of the Fort McCoy Central Issue Facility. Facility sta� is ready to provide support to customers at convenient times.

them how to make appointments, he said.Walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first-

served basis, so units not making appointments may have to wait if there are other units already obtaining issued items from the CIF, he said.

Members of a Michigan-based Army Re-serve unit took advantage of the weekend hours to obtain necessary OCIE gear from the CIF during weekend battle assembly training in late January.

Maj. Jon Trolla, commander of B Company of the 415th Civil Affairs Battalion of Kalama-zoo, Mich., said Soldiers in his company had been without necessary combat gear for several years.

Army Reserve units are tasked to obtain this gear by shipment from the Sierra Army Depot at Herlong, Calif., he said. But the organiza-tion has experienced backlogs with this large customer base.

Last October, Trolla said he traveled to Fort McCoy to inspect vehicles that are on the com-pany’s property book, but are stored/managed by the Equipment Concentration Site-67 at the installation.

While traveling on post roads, he drove past the CIF sign. �is raised his hopes that he might find the assistance he needed.

“Simply put, how can I expect my Sol-diers to focus on training leading to combat deployments if we don’t have the gear to sur-vive in this northern climate,” he said. “Draw-ing OCIE gear supports not only Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS)/combat deployments, but emergency CONUS

X Central (From page 1)

disaster/recovery support. It’s simply the right thing to do.”

Trolla said it’s a big advantage because the 415th could conduct this business during a weekend battle assembly drill.

Soldiers train on weekends and having a competent CIF staff tailoring their support helps meet their needs.

“It’s a win-win situation for everyone if Soldiers training at Fort McCoy can have their OCIE issued to them here,” Lovgren

said. “Soldiers actually can try on the OCIE, to include boots, to ensure a proper fit.”

Soldiers also can digitally sign for the OCIE, which frees up the supply sergeants’ time and also saves transportation costs of shipping the OCIE directly to the unit, he said.

“We also offer the units the ability to turn-in OCIE at this CIF instead of having to ship it to the Sierra Army Depot,” he said. “�is includes exchanging unserviceable gear for serviceable gear. We then take this OCIE, re-

pair it if necessary, and issue it out to the next Reserve Soldier needing it.”

Soldiers also can draw OCIE gear, includ-ing cold-weather equipment, if necessary, on a temporary loan basis while training at Fort McCoy. Lovgren said these equipment loans must be returned and cleared prior to leaving Fort McCoy.

Although Trolla had attended the Primary Leadership Development Course (now the Warrior Leadership Course) at the Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell Noncommissioned Officer Academy in 1997, he hadn’t been at Fort Mc-Coy since then.

None of his troops had ever trained at Fort McCoy.

“Fort McCoy has dramatically changed its footprint since that time and now is a strategi-cally located, four-season and well-resourced installation that all commands should con-sider training at,” he said. “Many Soldiers have never driven in snow before, even fewer have driven Army vehicles, such as up-armored high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, in the snow.”

As a commander with multiple deploy-ments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Trolla said it is a disservice to allow Soldiers to perform their combat mission in a snow-covered geographi-cal area without experience training in similar conditions ahead of time.

Trolla said he took the unit’s positive expe-rience at Fort McCoy and reported back to his senior leadership about how the unit fulfilled its equipment and training requirements at Fort McCoy.

For more information about the Fort Mc-Coy CIF, call 608-388-3876.

Ammunition handler course students learn how to move ammunition crates us-ing a remote-controlled crane. The course is o�ered by instructors with the 13th Battalion, 100th Regiment to reclassify Army Reserve Soldiers. The 13th,100th is aligned with the 3rd Brigade, 94th Divi-sion of the 80th Training Command and is the Reserve counterpart of Regional Training Site-Maintenance.

Photo by Rob Schuette

Ammunition handlers

WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 3

SPOTLIGHTEquipment Concentration Site-67

Photo by Theresa Fitzgerald

Terry Clinton of Equipment Concentration Site-67 performs a wheel service on a Palletized Load System while conducting annual service on the equipment.

Army installations can continue to hire critical career �elds

SAN ANTONIO (Installation Management Command) — Army installations will continue to hire the critical career fields from firefight-ers to child care workers, Lt. Gen. Mike Ferriter, commander of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), announced Jan. 29.

Earlier, Headquarters, Depart-ment of the Army provided guidance regarding a department-wide hiring freeze and release of term and tempo-rary civilian personnel.

In that guidance, authority to ap-prove exceptions to the hiring freeze is delegated to commanders of Army Commands, Army Service Compo-nent Commands, Direct Reporting Units and the Administrative As-sistant to the Secretary of the Army for Headquarters, Department of the Army and its Field Operating and Staff Support Agencies. �e above authority delegates hiring author-ity to the commanding general, IM-COM.

“I am authorizing the hiring to continue in the following program areas to ensure we continue to pro-vide programs and services in support of critical missions, national security, safety of human life and the protec-tion of private property,” Ferriter said.

Garrisons are given approval to hire firefighters, security guards, civil-ian police, air traffic controllers, life-guards, Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program staff (permanent and term), Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program coun-selors, and — regardless of funding source — Child, Youth and School Services staff in accordance with IMCOM Command and Headquar-ters, Department of the Army hiring guidelines.

Ferriter emphasized, “Because of the important nature of installation management business, we will re-view hiring requests at each garrison and can make additional approvals to ensure critical missions continue. We have spoken with every garrison commander or deputy and command sergeant major throughout IMCOM to ensure they understand the impor-tance our mission. �e Army leader-ship remains committed to providing the best possible support to our Sol-diers, Families, and civilians.”

(Editor’s note: “SPOTLIGHT” is a continuing se-ries about tenant activities and missions at Fort McCoy.)

What is it?Equipment Concentration Site (ECS)-67

provides maintenance and storage of equip-ment for U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) units that train at Fort McCoy. �e facility is re-sponsible for 3,600 pieces of rolling stock (Palletized Load Systems, trucks, forklifts, etc.) and 9,800 pieces of non-rolling stock (skid-mounted generators, pumps, tents, weapons, etc.).

Aligned under the 88th Regional Support Command (RSC) located at Fort McCoy, the ECS-67 is one of six ECS shops within the 88th command. It has been a tenant activity on the installation since 1975. �e employees include military technicians and contractors. Military technicians have dual employment status and are assigned to a USAR unit. �eir military occupational specialty must be com-patible to the civilian position held at ECS-67. �e contractors are either mechanics or administrative personnel and augment the work force.

�e ECS-67 has two branches, storage and maintenance.

�e storage branch is responsible for prop-erty book accountability using the Property Book Unit Supply Enhanced website and an-nually reports accountability back to the units. �e branch also prepares equipment loan agreements for all the exercises conduct-ed on post.

�e maintenance branch prepares all work orders, schedules annual services, repairs, and orders, and tracks parts needed to complete the services. Parts are ordered through the Standard Army Automated Retain System 1 or through local channels when needed im-mediately.

Parts received are pushed to the shop so the mechanics can complete the service or re-pair. �e maintenance branch has three shops to handle maintenance needs. One shop is used for combat engineer equipment, one for tactical wheel equipment and one for trailers, generators and special equipment. ECS-67 partners with the Installation Materiel Main-tenance Activity for repairs involving engine rebuilds.

What have they done?In 2011, ECS-67 took first place in the

Army Award for Maintenance Excellence for the Army Reserve Table of Distribution and Allowances, Medium Category.

�e secondary mission of ECS-67 is to provide area maintenance support activity for

any USAR unit that comes to Fort McCoy for weekend battle drill training or extended com-bat training.

Equipment is loaned and maintenance is provided for those training missions sup-porting the Army Force Generation exercises such as the Warrior Exercise, Combat Sup-port Training Exercise, Essayons, Red Dragon, and Golden Medic. Additionally, equipment and maintenance support is provided to lo-cal units, i.e. the Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Regional Training Sites-Maintenance and Medical, and units in Onalaska.

From October to March, the ECS-67 per-forms annual services and makes repairs to prepare the equipment for upcoming military exercises.

Coordination is made with the 86th and 78th Training Divisions, gathering data as to what is needed to support the exercises and then staging the equipment prior to an exer-cise.

ECS-67 also supports the Family and Mo-rale, Welfare and Recreation Army Concert Tour event by providing generators and fork-lifts.

What do they have planned?�e ECS-67 facility, building 3050, cur-

rently is undergoing remodeling of the break room and restroom areas.

�e remodel will increase the number of bathroom stalls available for females and add showers to support the staff. All restrooms will be made handicap accessible. Construction should be completed by the end of March.

Another construction project planned at ECS-67 is a new total equipment maintenance facility, which includes a new 40,000-square-foot warehouse and a 35-acre maintenance equipment parking site. �e project is sched-uled to break ground in May.

Why are they important?By providing equipment storage ECS-67

allows more viability for units to train on Fort McCoy. It also saves the government money by avoiding the costs of moving or transport-ing equipment between unit home stations and Fort McCoy for training. By providing maintenance support to the units, it allows the maintenance Soldiers in the units to conduct training during weekend battle assemblies versus working on equipment in the motor pools.

Resources:For more information about ECS-67, call

608-388-4266.

R.I.A Federal Credit Union closes Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. Re-opes Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. on building 1501.

4 THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL

NEWS

Tomah VA honors veterans during National Salute to Veteran Patients week Feb. 10-16TOMAH, Wis. (Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center)

— �e Tomah Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center invites the public to participate as it hosts a week of special activities to honor its veterans from Feb. 10-16, during the 2013 National Salute to Veteran Patients week.

“�e National Salute to Veteran Patients is a great oppor-tunity to remind our nation’s heroes that their contribution to our country is not forgotten,” said Tomah VA Medical Cen-ter Director Mario DeSanctis. “We’ve invited local celebrities, school children and other groups to visit during the week. We want people of all ages to bring Valentine’s Day cheer to our patients.”

DeSanctis said he hopes visitors also will learn more about the important roles volunteers play at the medical center throughout the year and perhaps pursue volunteer opportuni-ties.

“Our medical center’s 375 volunteers are an important part of our health care team, and the National Salute program is a great way for people to learn more about helping the veterans we serve here at the medical center,” said DeSanctis. “Visitors are surprised at how varied our volunteer opportunities are.”

People of all ages once again are sending Valentine’s Day cards and letters to VA medical centers simply addressed, “Dear Veteran.” DeSanctis said they are being distributed to patients throughout the medical center.

One of the most-impressive events of the week is the Vet-erans’ Art Exhibit, which also is open to the public. Entries include works of sculpture, painting, wood working, ceramics, and needlework, to name a few.

All of the art is made by veterans receiving care at the Tomah VA or the medical center’s outpatient clinics. �e art is on dis-play Tuesday through �ursday (Feb. 12-14) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and special evening hours Wednesday, Feb. 13, being open until 6:30 p.m. �e display will be in building 407, room 1724.

On Feb. 14, veterans with a passion for the performing arts (music, dance, drama and creative writing) will present their entries in the annual performing arts competition.

Interested individuals can attend the competition and en-courage veterans as they enter a large variety of songs, essays, skits and dance.

�e competition begins at 9 a.m. in the Midway, building

406, room 1655. Spectators are welcome. Veterans receiving care at the Tomah VA or any of the

Tomah VA’s Outpatient Clinics can enter either competition. For more information, call Tomah VA’s Voluntary Service office at 608-372-1727.

Both the art exhibit and the performing arts competition are the first round in the annual Creative Arts Festival competi-tion, with winners advancing to the national competition and a chance at an invitation to the 2013 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival hosted by the Reno, Nev., VA Medical Center in October.

�e National Salute Week schedule includes a variety of special activities for the patients such as bingo games, movies, “Afternoon at the Races” parties, and a bowling tournament. A Valentine’s Dance is planned; Miss Wisconsin will visit for a day; a Valentine’s cake will be served by the Cranberry Royalty, and ambassadors from the Tomah Area Chamber of Commerce will visit veterans.

Individuals or groups wishing to participate in the medical center program can call the Voluntary Service office, 608-372-1727.

Disaster relationship, support discussed during symposiumSTORY & PHOTOS BY SGT. 1ST CLASS DARRIN McDUFFORD88th Regional Support Command

Emergencies resulting from disasters are varied in nature and culminate in a number of destructive natural events disrupting the lives of American citizens.

Recently, a symposium held at Fort Mc-Coy addressed the issues and means of the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)

process. More than 100 representatives from the National Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Re-serve attended.

In 2011, President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that provided for federal forces to be used to support state emergencies. �rough-out the 34 years of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) existence it has struggled to define its abilities, and every president has worked to use the organization for the nation’s best interest.

Before passage of the NDAA, federal laws prevented the full implementation of Reserve forces to assist with state or regional emergen-cies.

Col. Julie M. Gerety, the director for do-mestic operations with the Wisconsin National Guard said, “While both the U.S. armed forc-es and the National Guard have a long history of conducting domestic operations, the scale, scope, and complexity of these operations have expanded significantly since September 11, 2001. Prior to then, military involvement in domestic operations was almost exclusively in the area of civil-support operations: gener-ally limited to providing support to civil au-thorities in response to natural disasters or ac-cidents. Post-9/11, the National Guard’s role has expanded to include additional Homeland Defense and Homeland Security missions.”

Redefining the role of the Army Reserve in a domestic posture necessitates a look at the current laws and requires state governors to clearly state and define the need for the use of assets from the secretary of defense.

Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Lesniak, the deputy commanding general for support of the U.S. Army Reserve, said, “�e Army Reserve has

the capability to act in situations of immedi-ate response authority to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage. Under NDAA the Army Reserve may be mobilized, on the order of the secretary of defense, in response to a request by local au-thorities to support disaster relief activities.”

�e Army Reserve is posturing itself to support requests for disasters in a number of ways. �e use of units requires them to be ready within their training cycle. �is involves the structured training cycle of units and deals

with their progression in a cycle of operation-al deployments. Units will be used based on where they are in their training cycle and the skill set they attain.

Lesniak said that the program was activated in response to Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

“�e plan for future use depends upon the ability of the local agencies to manage a crisis situation. �e Army Reserve is working with local National Guard commands and local

(See DISASTER page 13)

Attendees at the Defense Support of Civil Authorities symposium listen to a presentation explaining the process for federal forces support for state and regional emergencies. The 2011 National Defense Authorization Act allows for the Army Reserve, Naval Reserve and Marine Reserve to be mobilized, on the order of the secretary of defense, in response to a request by local authorities to support disaster relief activities.

“The plan for future use depends upon the ability

of the local agencies to manage a crisis situation.

The Army Reserve is working with local

National Guard commands and local authorities to

develop contingency plans that can be

used to support.”Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Lesniak

Deputy Commanding General for Support, U.S. Army Reserve

WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 5

SAFETYMcCoy Garrison receives Safety Excellence Award Streamer

Photo by Anita Johnson

Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Steven W. Nott (left) a�xes the Safety Excellence Award Streamer to the Fort McCoy U.S. Army Garrison �ag. Garrison Command Sergeant Major Command Sgt. Maj. Bill Bissonette (right) holds the �ag while Don Vender (center), Installation Safety O�ce Safety specialist, observes. The Installation Safety O�ce applied for the award to help highlight a safe culture at Fort McCoy, according to Safety Manager Randy Eddy.

BY ROB SCHUETTE Public A�airs Sta�

�e presentation of the Safety Excellence Award Streamer during the Commander’s Briefing to the Garrison Work Force is the lat-est example of the safety culture mindset at Fort McCoy, said Randy Eddy.

Eddy, Fort McCoy Safety manager, said he applied for the award after noting during an Installation Management Command (IM-COM) teleconference that Fort McCoy met the award’s criteria.

“Receiving the award encourages a safety culture at Fort McCoy,” Eddy said. “By doing the things we did to get the award, we are mak-ing people aware of the Safety Program at Fort McCoy.”

For winning the award, the garrison received a Safety Excellence Award Streamer, which will be displayed on the garrison guidon for the next year.

�e award recognizes the garrison for not having a Class A or Class B accident, which are defined as a high property loss or damage value of more than $500,000 or an injury causing a permanent partial disablement or three or more people injured in an accident. In addition, the garrison had 100 percent completion of com-posite risk-management training and the Army Readiness Assessment Program (ARAP).

Results from the ARAP serve two purposes. First, Eddy said participants are able to provide input on their organizations’ ability and effec-tiveness in providing an accomplished safety culture. Second, the garrison commander re-views the results and feedback so he can make appropriate changes or emphasize points in the Installation Safety Program.

Risk-assessment training also is important because it gives employees and supervisors a ba-sic understanding of safety risks and the under-standing of any inherent risks associated with certain positions, he said.

Soldiers must meet specific safety standards, including doing a risk assessment for privately owned vehicle travel of more than 225 miles, being certified to ride motorcycles through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and wearing a

reflective safety belt or vest while walking or running on the side of installation roadways during periods of limited visibility or darkness.

“Our strategic safety goal is to build on a compliance-driven program to nurture a cul-ture where safety is instinctive and intuitive in all operations and activities,” Eddy said. “As we improve our own safety posture, we also have to provide safety support and services to ten-ant and training units to improve their safety practices. We must ensure that everything we do is moving us closer to exemplary safety per-formance.”

�e Installation Safety Office (ISO) held safety stand-down days during the last three fis-cal years to promote safety, he said.

�e ISO also coordinates the quarterly Fort McCoy Safety and Occupational Health Advi-sory Council/Community Health Promotion Council meeting. Eddy said this includes garri-son and tenant organizations and encourages a flow of safety-related information in both direc-tions and provides another avenue for feedback and input. Each garrison or tenant organization at Fort McCoy is represented on the council by a collateral duty safety officer or an additional duty safety officer. �e council’s next quarterly meeting is April 9.

Eddy said the ISO also will have safety in-formation available at the Health and Wellness Fair, May 8 and the Armed Forces Day Open House event May 18.

For more information about safety and sea-sonal safety at the Army level, visit the website https://safety.army.mil.

For more information about safety topics in the Fort McCoy community, call the ISO at 608-388-3403.

Severe Weather Announcements/Procedures

During any severe winter weather situation, a liberal leave policy will automatically be in effect. �is policy affords supervisors and employees flexibility in addressing an individual request for leave or a work schedule adjustment due to weather, accommodating a late arrival, and/or an employee’s request for an early departure due to weather conditions. Annual leave may be requested and approved in 15-minute increments.

If the Garrison Commander should deem that due to an extreme weather situation all post operations would need to be suspended during the duty day, then that announce-ment will be made via a command-approved, postwide e-mail communication, with employee notifications then disseminated through their supervisory channels. If such a decision were to be made outside of the normal duty day, then a Fort McCoy Public Af-fairs Office authorized announcement will be released to the following local media outlets (television/radio stations):

WKBT (TV) CH 8 • WEAU (TV) CH 13 • WXOW (TV) CH 19 • WTMB 94.5 FM • WWIS 99.77 FM • WIZM 93.3 FM • WCOW 97.1 FM• and WAXX 104.5 FM.

In addition, information regarding liberal leave/post closure can be obtained after duty hours by calling (608) 388-7777 or dialing toll-free 800-982-3585, extension 7777.

Date Night specials o�ered at Whitetail Ridge Feb. 16Whitetail Ridge Ski Area will host Date Night specials Saturday, Feb. 16 from

10 a.m.-9 p.m. A buy-one-get-one-free special will be offered to couples who purchase lift- or

tubing passes, or rent equipment. Patrons must be at least 18 years old to be eligible. Pizza and two sodas will be offered for $8. Couples also will be able to sign up to

win a cabin stay at Pine View Campground.Whitetail Ridge and Pine View both are open to the public.For more information, call 608-388-3517.

Fitness challenge at Rumpel March through May An Inch Your Way to Success fitness challenge will be offered at the Rumpel Fit-

ness Center, building 1122.Participants will have their measurements taken Monday, March 11 and again

�ursday, May 2. �e male and female who lose the most inches each will win a $75 Valley View

Mall gift card. Winners will be announced at the Wellness Fair Wednesday, May 8.Participants will receive weekly e-mails/follow ups with the Fitness Center train-

ers throughout the challenge.For more information, call 608-388-2290.

6 THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL

NEWS NOTES

Photo by Rob Schuette�ermal weapons trainingAn Army Reserve Soldier conducts new equipment training with thermal weapon sights for a .50 caliber machine gun at a Fort McCoy range. U.S. Army Reserve Command cadre coordinated the training to give the Soldiers experience using the equipment, which also included sighting and �ring M4 ri�es equipped with the thermal sight, in a cold-weather, snowy environment.

Lego building competition at Community Activity CenterA Lego building competition will be held

at the Community Activity Center (CAC), building 2000, for authorized youth and adult CAC patrons.

Participants will submit their Lego creation that incorporates an Army or Army Family theme to the CAC Tuesday, Feb. 12 between 10 a.m.-6 p.m. �e piece must fit into a 24-inch by 24-inch square.

Participants will compete in one of three age categories — 4 to 6 year olds, 7 to 10 year olds, and 11 and up. �e event is free.

Any authorized CAC patron can partici-pate in the judging by voting for their favorite creation Feb. 13-16 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Prizes will be awarded to first and second place in each category.

For more information, call 608-388-3213.

Commander’s call rescheduled, new date Feb. 12�e February commander’s call has been

rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 4-6:30 p.m. at McCoy’s, building 1571. �e event is open to all tenants and directorates, military ranks and civilians.

�e event provides an opportunity for members of the Fort McCoy community and Garrison Command Group to come together in an atmosphere of camaraderie, good fellow-ship, and social rapport.

It allows time for members to network, share issues, or to get acquainted with other associates.

Emergency Management Exercise Vigilant Triad 2013 set for Feb. 13

Fort McCoy will conduct an Emergency Management Exercise starting at approxi-mately 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13.

�e exercise, Vigilant Triad 2013, is part of a continuing effort by the Department of Defense to refine and improve emergency re-sponse to natural and man-made incidents. Disasters such as the Fort Hood, Texas, shoot-ing, the large tornado at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and the hurricane damage to military facilities along the East Coast over the past few years continue to show the importance of practicing emergency response.

Various scenarios will be conducted in the cantonment area to test the installation’s ca-pabilities and allow evaluators to critique per-formance.

During the course of the exercise, Fort McCoy personnel and residents may expect changes to traffic patterns, closed roads and other delays in the cantonment area.

Personnel and residents at Fort McCoy also may hear “Giant Voice” announcements, as well as receive e-mail alerts concerning the installation.

Any questions can be directed to Lewis Ev-ans of the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mo-

bilization and Security Plans and Operations at 608-388-2302.

Valentine’s Day balloon bouquets available from McCoy’s

Valentine’s Day balloon bouquets are avail-able from McCoy’s, building 1571. Bouquets are $10 each and can be delivered free on Fort McCoy.

Each bouquet includes four balloons and choice of a dozen cookies, a Valentine glass filled with candy or with a Valentine vase filled with artificial roses.

For more information or to place an order, call 608-388-2065. A limited supply is avail-able. Order forms also are available online by going to http://www.mccoymwr.com/home/files/Flyers/Valentines_Order_Form.pdf and can be faxed to 608-388-7622.

National African American History Month event set for Feb. 21

�e National African American History Month observance will be held �ursday, Feb. 21 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at McCoy’s, build-ing 1571. �e guest speaker presentation be-gins at noon.

�e guest speaker is Rufus M. Parker a re-tired Army command sergeant major, author, and minister.

�e theme of the event is “At the Cross-roads of Freedom and Equality: �e Emanci-pation Proclamation and the March on Wash-ington.” For more information, call the Fort McCoy Garrison Equal Opportunity adviser at 608-388-3246.

Right Arm Night to be heldat McCoy’s Feb. 21

A Right Arm Night will be held �ursday, Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m. at McCoy’s, building 1571. �e event is open to everyone in the Fort McCoy and surrounding communities.

�e Right Arm Night is an opportunity for bosses to invite their “right arms” — those who assist them — out for a relaxing night in a fun atmosphere. �e event also is a great way to meet new people from other installation or-ganizations and the local communities.

�e beach-themed event will feature bever-age specials, games, and camaraderie. Groups can create teams of four to compete in limbo, hula hoop, water relay race, beach ball relay and beach packing party contests. Register teams by calling 608-388-4161.

For more information about the event, call 608-388-2065.

Application deadline Feb. 22 for Military Children scholarships�e application deadline for the 2013

Scholarships for Military Children program is Friday, Feb. 22.

Applications are available at local Commis-saries, including the Fort McCoy Commissary, building 1537, and at the Scholarships for Military Children website at www.military-scholar.org.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their application is received at a commis-sary by close of business, Feb. 22. Note that this is not a postmark deadline date. �ere will be no exceptions made to the deadline date.

�e Fort McCoy Commissary closes at 6 p.m. Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be ac-cepted.

Scholarships are open to qualified depen-dents of U.S. military ID card holders to in-clude active, Reserve, Guard and retired mili-tary personnel.

More details about eligibility and the ap-plication process can be found at the Military Scholar website, or through a link at www.commissaries.com.

For more information in the Fort McCoy community, call the Commissary, building 1537, at 608-388-3542.

Defense Travel System classes o�ered at McCoy

Defense Travel System (DTS) classes will be offered by the Defense Finance and Account-ing Service Lead Defense Travel Administra-tor at Fort McCoy in building 50, Distance Learning classroom 3.

�e DTS Temporary Duty (TDY) Docu-ments class will be held Feb. 20-21 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. �is two-day class explains how to create TDY authorizations and vouchers using hands-on training in the DTS Training Database. Topics include DTS definitions and acronyms, travel policy, and navigating DTS. �is class is designed for beginner and inter-mediate DTS users. Registration is required by Feb. 14.

�e DTS Approval Process and Travel Pol-icy class will be held March 6 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. �is one-day class explains the steps to approve DTS documents, TDY Travel policy and details the common rules to assist in the approval process.

Topics include regulations; approving of-ficial responsibilities, liabilities, and training; authorizations; and vouchers. Completion of the DTS TDY Documents class is highly sug-gested prior to attending. �is class is for re-viewing and approving officials. Registration is required by March 1.

Classes are open to military and Depart-ment of Defense civilian personnel. Class sizes are limited.

To register, e-mail name, unit, phone number, and class choice to mary.j.richmondstremcha.civ@mail.mil.

For more information, call 608-388-6299.

Money Smart workshop set for March 5

“Money Smart — Building Knowledge, Se-curity, and Confidence” will be held Tuesday, March 5 from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Army Community Service Center, building 2111.

Workshop topics include an introduction to credit; how to keep track of your money; why you should save; how your credit history will affect your future; how to make a credit card work for you; and know what you’re bor-rowing before you buy.

Register by Wednesday, Feb. 27, by calling 608-388-3505.

WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 7

ABOUT POST

Contributed photoRail JamA snowboarder performs an intricate maneuver during a Jan. 17 Rail Jam competition at Fort McCoy’s Whitetail Ridge Ski Area. The area also is available for snowboarders to use during regular business hours Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Whitetail Ridge is scheduled to be open through mid March, weather permitting. For more informa-tion or hill conditions, call 608-388-4498/3517 or 1-800-531-4703.

Photo by Rob SchuetteRumpel Fitness Center workDarin Kiesling of Derousseau Heating of Tomah reviews work in the atrium area at the Rum-pel Fitness Center. The general contractor, TCI Architects/Engineers/Contractor, has a con-tract to renovate and improve the indoor pool and pool area and install a new heating/cooling system. The work is scheduled to be completed by mid March.

Photo by Sheila PetersonBudget mindedAuthorized patrons of the Community Activity Center participate in a coupon class. The Jan. 17 class taught the most-e�ective uses of coupons to save money. Participants learned the ins and outs of coupon use, including coupon sources that are not well known or may not be obvious to most people.

Photo by Rob SchuetteTRX classParticipants improve their �tness during a TRX Intro Class at the Rumpel Fitness Center. The class is o�ered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45-4:15 p.m. for authorized �tness center patrons. For more information about �tness classes, call the �tness center at 608-388-2290 or visit the website www.mccoymwr.com/home/�tness.html.

WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 9

LEISURE

Hundreds enjoy outdoor activities during Winter Extravaganza More than 400 people enjoyed activities of-

fered during the Winter Extravaganza event at the Fort McCoy Whitetail Ridge Ski Area Jan. 26.

Adam Hangartner, Fort McCoy Outdoor Recreation and Winter Extravaganza point of contact, said 315 people participated in snow-tubing and 70 skiers/snowboarders participat-ed in skiing or snowboarding events.

“�e Snow Pile Dig was the most-popular activity,” Hangartner said. “We hid coins in the snow and the youth had to dig or search for them. �ey then turned in their coins for prizes. �e little kids loved this activity.” �irty youth participated in this activity.

Sixteen people participated in each of the Obstacle Course or Rail Jam activities, while 14 people participated in the Slalom Race making those the next most popular events.

Participants also enjoyed the new activities — a Hot-Dog Eating Contest and a Gunny-Sack Race, Hangartner said. A total of 13 peo-ple participated in the two activities.

Rounding out the activities were the Big-Air competition and the Snow-Adventure Race.

A number of door prizes also were given away to participants/attendees at the customer appreciation event, which featured reduced costs to use the facilities and rent equipment.

Hangartner said the event was held before the weather events that brought snowy condi-tions to the region. Even with a relative lack of snow this winter, the cold weather leading up to the event allowed the Outdoor Recreation staff to make sufficient snow to support the activities.

“�e ski hill was in great condition, the weather was perfect, and there were numerous fun activities for everyone to enjoy,” Hangart-ner said. “�is was an excellent Family event. Outdoor Rec received numerous compliments (from parents/guardians) on how much fun their kids had.”

Sponsors included: Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, Buffalo Wild Wings, CenturyLink, Courtesy Corporation-McDonald’s, F&M Bank-Tomah, La Crosse Radio Group, Mathew’s Inc., Mount Olympus, R.I.A. Fed-eral Credit Union, Shenanigans, Super 8-Spar-ta, Swany America, TCI Architects/Engineers/Contractor, and Xcel Energy. No federal en-dorsement is implied.

�e next event scheduled at Whitetail Ridge is the Date Night Saturday, Feb. 16 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. A customer appreciation/chilli cookout event is set for Saturday, March 2.

Whitetail Ridge is scheduled to be open through mid March, weather permitting.

For more information about Whitetail Ridge events, call 608-388-4498/3517, toll-free 1-800-531-4703 or visit the website http://www.mccoymwr.com/home/whitetail-ridge-ski.html.

Contributed Photo

Snowboarders receive last-minute instructions before they compete in the Rail Jam activity at the Winter Extravaganza event at Fort Mc-Coy. The Rail Jam was one of the more popular activities at the Jan. 26 event, attracting 16 participants.

Contributed Photo

A snowtuber completes a run during the Winter Extravaganza. The Jan. 26 event was held at Fort McCoy’s Whitetail Ridge Ski Area. The facility is scheduled to be open until mid March, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday hours, weather permitting. Other available activities in-clude skiing and snowboarding. When su�cient natural snow cover permits, the facility also o�ers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling opportunities.

Contributed Photo

Participants in the Gunny-Sack Race navi-gate through the snow at the Winter Extrava-ganza. The Gunny-Sack Race was one of two new activities o�ered during the customer-appreciation event.

10 THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL

LEISUREWoodshop equipment, classes support patrons of all skill levels

BY GENEVE N. MANKELPublic A�airs Sta�

�e Fort McCoy Family and Morale, Wel-fare and Recreation (MWR) Woodshop pro-vides experienced and beginner woodworkers with a variety of equipment and classes.

�e Woodshop, building 1133, has 13 pieces of woodworking machinery in addition to a variety of hand and power tools that can be used to complete almost any woodworking project, said Nick Sanjari, Woodshop man-ager.

“Equipment like the planer, lathe, drum sander and mortising machine are pieces of equipment that not every woodworker has in their shop,” Sanjari said. “It’s also very high-quality equipment.”

�e Woodshop was last upgraded a few years ago with equipment that had the latest technology and safety features, he said.

Sgt. 1st Class Bradley Zimmerman, a Soldier with the 86th Training Division and Woodshop volunteer, said he is working on a smoking pipe holder and has plans to create small wooden puzzles and Adirondack chairs.

“Whether creating a bird house for the backyard, a soap box derby car or a coin rack, the first time you complete a project and think ‘Wow, I did that’ is a pretty cool feeling,” he said.

“Military personnel can make some really cool items, including plaques and presentable items. Imagination is the key.”

Any authorized MWR patron can use the Woodshop including military and military retirees, Department of Defense civilians and retirees, and Fort McCoy contractors. Family members are also authorized.

Anyone under 18 years old can use the Woodshop as long as they are accompanied by an adult, Sanjari said.

Zimmerman said he can assist beginners with the basics of woodworking.

“�e basics are really the safety aspects. As long as you are safe and respect the danger that lurks in the equipment, it’s all following direc-tions or being creative,” he said.

Sanjari said groups, such as military units,

Contributed photo

Sgt. 1st Class Bradley Zimmerman, a Soldier with the 86th Training Division and Woodshop volunteer, works on making wooden puzzles for gifts at the Fort McCoy Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Woodshop.

Boy Scout troops (with members who are MWR eligible) or patrons who would like to have parties, can reserve the Woodshop for their event or have a class hosted for them.

�e Woodshop has several classes that can be offered to private groups or to a wider audi-ence if a demand is present.

“We have a basic safety course, pen-turn-ing, bird-house assembly, coin-rack making, sign making and pinewood derby car shaping classes,” Sanjari said. “�e class fees vary from about 8-13 dollars and include the Woodshop fees and project kits.”

Woodshop fees are $3 per hour and $15 per hour for the planer. A 30-hour punch card also is available for $25.

Patrons must supply their own wood, San-jari said.

A small supply of wood is available for military units, and the shop will accept wood donations for its inventory. �e woodshop also has a paint-and-stain room available for patrons and offers storage of smaller projects.

Woodshop volunteers are integral to the running of the shop. During operating hours the shop must be manned by a volunteer, San-

jari said. Paid staff is not authorized to man the shop.

Volunteers also teach the classes, make sure the equipment is being used safely, and offer help to patrons.

Volunteers must have some working knowl-edge of woodworking and the equipment, Sanjari said.

“�ey don’t necessarily have to be an ex-pert, but the volunteer needs to feel comfort-able around the machinery,” he said.

Zimmerman has been a Woodshop volun-teer for about four months.

“Both of my grandfathers were carpenters,” Zimmerman said. “I did do a woodshop class in high school, and have done quite a bit of finish carpentry work around my house.”

Zimmerman says he likes the ability to work on the many different aspects of wood-working from design to finishing.

“It really comes down to the satisfaction of making something that you can look at and appreciate the amount of effort required.”

�e hours are flexible for volunteers, San-jari said. “If someone is only able to volunteer once a month, that’s OK. I just need them to be committed to that one time each month.”

Volunteers can use the shop and equipment for free while they are volunteering, as long as they put the customer first, Sanjari said.

Volunteer hours are logged officially through the Army Community Service Volun-teer Corps program, and volunteers can attend the annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the Woodshop should visit www.myarmyone-source.com, register for the site and fill out a volunteer application; or call the Volunteer Corps Program at 608-388-6507.

Current Woodshop hours are Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. If anyone would like to use the Woodshop outside of the normal operating hours, Sanjari said he can be contacted, and, in most cases, arrangements can be made to open the shop. �e shop also will be open Saturdays, March 2, April 6, May 18, July 20, Aug. 10, and Sept. 14 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

For more information about the Wood-shop, call Sanjari at 608-388-3944.

New fees in e�ect for members of U.S. forces community to bring pets into GermanyHEIDELBERG, Germany (U.S. Army Europe Office of

the Chief of Public Affairs) — Members of the U.S. forces community who bring their pets along when they arrive in Germany for assignment will be charged a fee payable in Euros (€) by German authorities, effective Feb. 1.

�e fee will be charged during arrivals at Ramstein Air Base and Frankfurt International Airport.

At Ramstein an examination fee of €55 (about $75 U.S. dollars according to current exchange rates) per pet owner will be charged for all pets imported into Germany from outside the European Union (EU). Kaiserslautern County officials said the fee is being levied in accordance with EU regulations designed

to prevent the introduction and dissemination of rabies.Upon arrival at Ramstein, pets will be examined by veteri-

nary officials near the passenger terminal’s baggage claim area. Owners may pay the fee by credit card only.

Owners arriving with their pets at Frankfurt International Airport also will pay a fee. �at fee is €35 (about $48 U.S. dol-lars) per accompanied pet or €55 for an unaccompanied pet, and increases by 50 percent for pets that arrive on a weekend or holiday.

Payment of the fee is the responsibility of the pet owner, and cannot be claimed for reimbursement on an official travel voucher, according to officials with the U.S. Army Europe Of-

fice of the Judge Advocate (OJA). However, while OJA experts said the fee is prohibited from reimbursement under the provi-sions of the Department of Defense Joint Travel Regulations, pet owners may be able to claim the fee as a deductible moving expense on their federal income tax returns.

While Ramstein and Frankfurt are the only locations cur-rently slated to begin imposing the fee Feb. 1, because it is based on EU regulation other EU ports of entry could enact similar fees in the future.

Anyone in the Fort McCoy community with questions about relocation issues can call the Army Community Service Center at 608-388-3505 or visit building 2111.

WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 11

facilitiesservices This schedule is projected through Feb. 21, 2013.Bold typeface denotes new hours since the last update. Unless noted otherwise, most o�ces and facilities will

be closed Mon., Feb. 18 for the Presidents Day holiday. Call to verify hours.

RecreationAutomotive Skills Program: Building 1763. Open Thurs. and Fri. from 1-9 p.m. and Sat. from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 608-388-3013.

Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS): Building 2000. Meets second Thurs. of each month. Call 608-388-3944.

Community Activity Center (CAC): Building 2000. Leisure Travel Services O�ce, Recreation Center, and Library: Open Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Movies play Saturdays at 3 p.m. Call 608-388-3213. Closed Feb. 18-19.

McCoy’s: Building 1571. Thunder Bowl Bowling Center open Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. & Sat.-Sun. 4-10 p.m. Extreme Bowling every Fri. 4-9 p.m. Call 608-388-7060.

Pine View Campground / Recreational Checkout Center: Building 8053. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 608-388- 2619/3517.

Rumpel Fitness Center: Building 1122. Open Mon.-Thurs. 5 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri. 5 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat.-Sun. 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Indoor swimming pool, atrium, sauna and steamroom: Closed for renovations. Call 608-388-2290/3200.

Sportsman’s Range: Closed for the season. Open for group reservations only. Call 608-388-3517.

Woodshop: Building 1133. Open Tues. 6-9 p.m. Call 608-388-3944/3213.

Whitetail Ridge Ski Area: Skiing, snowtubing and Chalet: Open Fri. 4:30-9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sun. noon-6 p.m. Call 608-388-3517/4498.

DiningMcCoy’s: Building 1571. Primo’s Express: Open Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; (bu�et Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.) & Sat.-Sun. 4-8 p.m. Call 608-388-7673. Sports bar: Open Mon.-Fri. 4-11 p.m. & Sat.-Sun. 4-10 p.m. ATM located inside. Catering/Admin. Call 608-388-2065. Manager has discretion on closing time.

Snack Avenue: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Sat. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. & Sun. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call 608-269-5604 or 608-388- 4343. Open Mon., Feb. 18 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Specialty Express Food Court: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Call 608-269-5615 Ext. 303. Open Mon., Feb. 18 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Daily Grind: Building 1538. Closed for the season. Call 608-269-2618.

Whitetail Ridge Chalet: Building 8061.Open Fri. 4:30-9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sun. noon-6 p.m. Adult lounge and outdoor deck. Available for private parties. For information, call 608-388-3517/2260.

ServicesAlteration Shop: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 608-269-1075.

Barber Shop (Exchange): Building 1538. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 608-269-1710.

Barber Shop (over�ow): Building 2662. Closed for the season. Call 608-269-3682.

Beauty Salon: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. by appointment only. Call 608-269-1710.

Car Rental (Hertz): Information available at the Exchange, Building 1538. Use yellow phone at Hertz sign. Call 608-782-6183 or 1-800-654-3131 and give them the following number: CDP# 1787245.

Car Wash: Building 1568. Self-service and automatic bays. Open 24/7. Change and token machines. Call 608-388-3213/4161.

Commissary: Building 1537. Open Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Early Bird/Self Check out open Tues.-Sat. 9-10 a.m. Call 608-388-3542/3543.

CWT (Carlson Wagonlit Travel) SatoTravel: Building 2180. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Call 608-388-2370, or 608-269-4560, or 1-800-927-6343.

Education/Learning Center: Building 50, Room 123. Open Mon.-Thurs. 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri. 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Call 608-388-7311.

Exchange: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Sat. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sun. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call 608-269-5604, Ext. 101 or Ext. 4343. Open Mon., Feb. 18 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

GNC: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 608-269-1115.

Launderette/Dry Cleaning: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 608-269-1075 to verify hours of operation.

Laundry Facilities: Building 2568. Open 24/7. Exclusively for use by Soldiers training on Fort McCoy pursuant to military orders. Civilians and retired military are not authorized to use these facilities. Call 608-388-3800 (Troop and

Installation Support Branch, Building 490) for information.

Lodging: Located in building 51. Open daily 24 hours. For more information call 608-388-2107/3646.

Military Clothing: Building 1538. Open Tues.-Sat. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. & Sun. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call 608-269-5604, Ext. 203.

Permit Sales: Building 2168. Open weekdays 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Call 608-388-3337.

Post O�ce: Building 1654. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 608-388-3825.

Quartermaster Tactical Gear Store: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sun. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 608-269-1730.

RIA Credit Union: Building 2105. Open Mon.-Wed. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thurs. and Fri. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. Closes Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. Re-opes Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. in building 1501. ATMs are located in McCoy’s, Building 1571, the Exchange, Building 1538, and Building 51 (24/7). For information, call 608-388-2171.

RV Storage Lot: Next to Building 1763. Short- or long-term storage. Fees charged. Authorized patrons only. Call 608-388-2619/3517.

Service Station/Express/Class VI: Building 1538. Open Mon.-Sat. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. & Sun. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call 608-269-5604 or Ext. 4343. GAS PAY AT THE PUMP OPEN 24 HOURS. ATM located inside. Cash transactions available during Shoppette and Main Store hours. Open Mon., Feb. 18 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Shoppette (West Side Express): Building 2662. Closed for the season. Call 608-269-5585.

Visitor Control Center: Building 35. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (excluding federal holidays). For more information call 608-388-4988/8415.

WorshipCatholic: Chapel 10, Building 1759. Mass, Sunday 9:30 a.m. Ash Wednesday Service Feb. 13 at noon. Call 608-388-3528.

Christian Fellowship Bible Study with lunch: Building 2675. Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Call 608-388-3528.

Jewish: Service held at Congregations of Abraham, 1820 Main St., La Crosse, Wis. Call 608-784-2708.

Mormon: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 702 E. Montgomery St., Sparta, Wis. Sunday services 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 608-269-3377.

Protestant: Chapel 1, Building 2672. Protestant Worship on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Fellowship follows service and meets across the street from the Chapel in building 2675 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Protestant Women of the Chapel Bible Study: Building 2675, Wednesdays from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Call Julie Raub at 804-384-8800 (cell).

Spanish Language: Worship Services held in Norwalk (Catholic); Tomah (Seventh-Day Adventist). Call 608-388-3528.

For information about Chapel and worship schedules in the surrounding communities, call 608-388-3528. If you

have an emergency, call 608-388-2266 and they will contact the On-Call Duty Chaplain for further assistance.

Family SupportArmy Community Service: Building 2111. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a. m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. Call 608-388-3505.

Army Substance and Abuse Program: Building 1344. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. Call 608-388-2441.

Child Development Center: Building 1796. Open Mon.-Fri. 6:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Call 608-388-3534/2238.

Military Family Life Consultants (MFLC): Building 2111. Provide education, information, and support for anyone a�liated with the military. Military Family Life Consultant services are con�dential, with no records kept. Available Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. Call 608-469-1432.

Red Cross: Fort McCoy active-duty Soldiers and their Family members can call 877-272-7337 for emergency assistance. For other Red Cross services, call 800-837-6313, 608-788-1000 or call the installation operator at 608-388-2222 and request Red Cross assistance.

School-Age Services: Building 1751. Activities for youth grades kindergarten through �fth. O�ers after-school, nonschool and inclement-weather care for eligible youth. Open Mon.-Fri. 6:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call 608-388-4373/2238.

Schools of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration & Skills Unlimited (SKIESUnlimited): Building 1668. Provides instructional classes for children and youth from infancy through the end of their senior year in high school. Children and youth are provided opportunities to explore new skills, pursue and nurture personal interests and interact socially with others. Register at Parent Central Services 608-388-8956.

Supplemental Programs and Services/Family Child Care: For occasional baby-sitting services or in-home care for Military Family Housing, call Fort McCoy Child Development Services at 608-388-4124.

Health CareAlcoholics Anonymous: For more information, call 608-388-5955/2441.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings: Building 60, room 102, Thursdays at 6 p.m. Park in the front parking lot. Call 608-388-0398.

Fort McCoy Civilian Employee Assistance Program: Provides screening and referral services for eligible civilian employees and their Family members who are experiencing di�culty due to personal problems related to substance abuse, mental health, marital/Family discord or other problems. For more information, contact the Army Substance Abuse Program at 608-388-2441/5955.

Occupational Health Clinic: Building 2669. Open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Blood-pressure screenings and military audiograms. Call 608-388-3209/2414.

TRICARE Liaison: Building 2669. Open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Walk-in hours are 7-9 a.m. & 1-2 p.m. Call 608-388-2246 for more information. Additional points of contact: TRICARE 1-877-TRICARE (874-2273) or http://www.TRICARE.mil.

Troop Medical Clinic: Building 2669. Open Mon.-Fri. sick call 7-8 a.m., appointments 8 a.m.-3 p.m. O�ers sick call for acute conditions, Periodic Health Assessments, HIV blood draws, audiology services and military pro�les for military personnel on active-duty orders for 30 days or more and Extended Combat Training Soldiers on orders of less than 30 days. Call 608-388-3025.

OrganizationsAmerican Federation of Government Employees, Local 1882: Building 1411. O�ce hours 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. Meets second Tues. of each month, 6 p.m., at American Legion Post 201 in Tomah. Call 608-388-2397.

American Society of Military Comptrollers: Meets several times throughout the year. Call Maureen Richardson at 608-269-1912 or Joanne Scholze at 608-269-5696.

Association of the United States Army - AUSA (Robert B. McCoy Chapter): General membership meetings held monthly. For information call 608-272-3016.

Friends and Spouses of Fort McCoy: Meets every third Thursday. For information, send an e-mail to fsofmccoy@gmail.com.

Patriot Warrior Riders: Call President Command Sgt. Maj. Bill Bissonette at 608-388-3605.

Reserve O�cers Association, Fort McCoy-Readiness 43: Call David W. Alderfer (LTC-Retired) at 920-535-0515 or e-mail dave.alderfer@us.army.mil.

Warrant O�cers Association, Chapter 0317: For more information, call 612-210-7728, 608-372-7260, or 248-941-3551.

This civilian enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of The Real McCoy are not necessarily o�cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or Fort McCoy. The Real McCoy is published semimonthly using o�set presses by the Public A�airs O�ce, Fort McCoy, WI 54656-5263, (608) 388-4128. Minimum printed circulation is 4,000. All photos are U.S. Army photos unless otherwise credited. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available to purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political a�liation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, users or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is con�rmed, the printer shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. All editorial content of The Real McCoy is prepared, edited, provided and approved by

the Public A�airs O�ce at Fort McCoy. The Real McCoy is printed by the River Valley Newspaper Group, a private �rm in no way connected with the Department of the Army, under exclusive written contract with Fort McCoy. The civilian enterprise printer is responsible for commercial advertising. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army, Fort McCoy or the River Valley Newspaper Group of the products or services advertised. Send news items to the Public A�airs O�ce, ATTN: (IMMC-PA), 100 E. Headquarters Road, Fort McCoy, WI 54656-5263, or call 608-388-4128 or 2769 or send e-mail to usarmy.mcCoy.imcom-

northeast.list.pao-admin@mail.mil Send advertising inquiries to River Valley Newspaper Group, P.O. Box 140, West Salem, WI 54669 or call 608-786-1950/800-349-8699.

Garrison Commander .............................................Col. Steven W. NottPublic A�airs O�cer ...............................................Linda M. FournierEditor.........................................................................Lou Ann M. MittelstaedtAssistant Editor ........................................................Rob SchuetteEditorial Assistant....................................................Geneve N. Mankel

Editorial Content .....................................................608-388-2769

http://www.mccoy.army.mil

12 THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL

ARMYWIDE NEWS

them apart from the rest.” Soldiers regularly worked 12- to 16-hour

days assembling and tearing down stage sets both before and after 90-minute performanc-es. “Being a Soldier and a performer is kind of an odd balance, but you’d be surprised at how well it goes hand in hand,” said Easter.

As one of the stars of the 2012 Soldier Show, Easter maintained a fast-paced perfor-mance schedule in addition to being on-call for his medical expertise whenever necessary.

“Anything that happens on the show; any-body gets hurt; any safety brief that needs to be done, they’ll ask me to do it,” said Easter. “One time a Soldier was rather dehydrated, so I did an assessment and found it necessary to administer fluids.”

With the 2012 Soldier Show tour wrapped, Easter has fulfilled his promise to his grand-father in pursuing his musical passion, while following in his father’s footsteps of military service.

“Even though I joined the Army, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to be who I really am, to give everything that I have versus just the medical skills that I was taught,” Easter said. “People see me on stage and see their own dreams and their aspirations realized.”

Check out this video to see Spc. Easter’s Soldier Show story: http://youtube/eorfc-qQ3DkA .

Fort McCoy will host the 2013 U.S. Army Soldier Show July 11.

Fort Bliss Soldier recognizes dream of service, music with U.S. Army Soldier ShowSAN ANTONIO, (Advanced Medical

Rehabilitation Group) — After a nine-month world tour performing for fellow Soldiers and their Families, Spc. Justin Easter returns to Fort Bliss, Texas to continue his military du-ties and training, having fulfilled a personal dream.

Inspired to sing in church by his grandfa-ther, Easter dreamed of pursuing a musical ca-reer. However, he put that dream on the back burner when he joined the U.S. Army during college, or so he thought.

After Easter’s friends revealed his singing talent to their Advanced Individual Training (AIT) commander, Easter was selected to per-form the national anthem at his AIT gradu-ation, setting him on a path to putting his talent to use in the U.S. Army Soldier Show. U.S. Army active-duty, National Guard and Reserve members are eligible to be nominated for the Soldier Show and submit video audi-tions for Army Entertainment’s consideration. �e Installation Management Command’s Soldier Show auditions require Soldiers to demonstrate more than their singing and per-forming talents alone. �ose selected to the Soldier Show must also demonstrate excel-lence in their military duties and basic soldier-ing skills.

“�e 25 Soldiers in the cast are hyper-motivated,” said Sgt. Drake DeLucca, Soldier Show cast member. “�ey don’t just do their jobs, they do it with a zest and a zeal that sets

U.S. Army photo

Spc. Justin Easter ful�lls a personal dream of performing in the 2012 Soldier Show while con-tinuing his Family’s tradition of military service. Easter has since returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, to resume his regular duties as a combat medic.

Carter: Sequestration strategic planning requires balanceBY CLAUDETTE ROULOAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Planning for sequestration is the practical thing to do and doesn’t indicate a lack of confi-dence in Congress, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Cart-er said Jan. 27 in an interview on “�is Week in Defense News with Vago Muradian.”

�ough Congress voted to delay until March 2 the imple-mentation of about $500 billion in across-the-board defense spending cuts over 10 years, Carter explained, the threat still looms and the Pentagon must be ready.

Complicating matters, is that the Department of Defense (DoD) — as is all of the federal government — is still operat-ing under a continuing resolution, “which means we are stuck with the budget of last year, category by category,” he added. �e continuing resolution is set to expire March 27, unless Congress approves a new appropriations act for fiscal year (FY) 2013, which began Oct. 1.

Preparing for this confluence of events requires a delicate balance between acting too early and planning too late, Carter said.

“�e reason not to make adjustments too early is these are not desirable things to do,” he said. “�ey’re not good for de-fense, so you don’t want to do them until you have to.”

For example, Carter said, the DoD normally hires about 1,000 people each week to maintain a stable number of per-sonnel.

“However,” he continued, “if I worry that I’m going to run short of money later in the fiscal year, I’d better stop hiring.”

On Jan. 10, Carter issued a memo authorizing defense com-ponents to implement measures that will mitigate the effects of fiscal uncertainty, including hiring freezes, termination of temporary employees and cancelling certain equipment main-tenance contracts.

“Now that’s not a good thing,” Carter said. “�at’s jobs — 44 percent of the people we hire are veterans. And we care about hiring veterans. And of course, most importantly, we care about getting the work done.”

When he talks about DoD civilians, Carter said, he’s not talking about bureaucrats in Washington. “�ese are shipyard workers — these are people who are doing important things,” he added.

�e memo requires defense components to submit their plans to Carter’s office, he said, to ensure their efforts are bal-anced and to provide components with an opportunity to learn from each other’s approaches. Meanwhile, he said, the depart-ment is taking prudent steps now in case the continuing reso-lution is extended for the whole year or the sequestration cuts take effect.

“What we’re trying to do is take steps that are reversible,” he explained. “�ey’re harmful if they last the whole year. But if I take them now, I’ll be better off later in the year.”

For now, he said, these are steps that can be quickly un-done.

“Later in the year, I’m going to have to do things that are irreversible — that do irreversible harm,” Carter said, including furloughing federal employees and reducing military training.

“Obviously, I don’t want to do that. ... If it goes on long enough, we will do damage to readiness that will be difficult and take years to reverse,” he said.

Preparations have been ongoing for some time, Carter said.“We’ve been doing that quietly,” he said, “because we haven’t

wanted to act as though sequestration or any of these things was either inevitable or, certainly, something that we could manage with ease. �ese are damaging, destructive things to do.”

“The reason not to make adjustments too early is these are not desirable things to do. They’re not good for defense, so you don’t

want to do them until you have to.”Ashton B. Carter

Deputy Defense Secretary

WWW.MCCOY.ARMY.MIL THE REAL MCCOY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2013 13

X BRIEFING (From page 1)

tary units for every major military conflict, he said.“Mobilization by definition is a temporary mission,” Nott

said. “However, because of our capacity and our ability to surge, we will — sometime in the future when we go to war — stand up and do it again.”

Fort McCoy will remain relevant by using its resources prop-erly and by being a good steward of the environment, he said. �e installation will continue to accomplish its base support operation role and support missions, such as providing support to civil authorities during emergency requests and interacting with the National Guard.

All of this will include prioritizing and executing base op-erations support responsibilities to optimize mission support in a resource-constrained environment, he said.

Strategic Business Plan�e Strategic Business Plan is important to help develop

strategic objectives to facilitate what the installation needs to do to be successful, he said.

Modernization will be important. From fiscal year (FY) 2008-2012, Fort McCoy spent $245 million in cantonment area renovation of World War II-era wood facilities.

“We’re still putting short-term solutions on a long-term problem,” he said. “And that’s been one of the messages that the staff and I have been bringing to our leadership for quite some time.”

�e long-term solution in the Strategic Business Plan is to replace World War II wood facilities with brick and mortar structures, he said.

Nott said he will fight for Fort McCoy to have at least one new facility project each year because that will keep modern-

A military housing assessment completed several years ago put the number needed to support the installation’s military population at 134 units.

X HOUSING (From page 1) Because the Army has been funding ap-proximately 90 percent of the assessment number, Fort McCoy housing officials do not expect the installation to receive any more Army funds for military housing for the fore-seeable future.

�e new military Family housing is issued

X DISASTER (From page 4)

izing the installation.Otherwise, the installation facilities eventually will reach a

critical point when a massive project is needed and sufficient funding may not be available to do everything at one time.

Training requirements will continue to be met, including supporting transient, exercise and institutional training, he said.

Currently, the installation provides support to units train-ing in the first four years of the ARFORGEN training cycle, with the fifth year being when the units become deployment ready.

�e installation will continue to support U.S. Army Reserve functional training exercises and support and increase transient and institutional training.

Fort McCoy has many projects under way. A prime example is the completion of a classroom facility

for the Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell Noncommissioned Officer Academy complex, and the construction of a billeting structure that is under way. �e academy is one of the premiere sites in the entire Army, he said.

Fort McCoy also has many other projects completed and/or coming on line during the next few months, he said. �ese include the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility, two more Army Family housing units (see related story, page 1), two ranges, and electrical connections to ranges on the west side of the North Impact Area.

ChallengesAlthough there is some perception that Fort McCoy is not

as busy conducting training because it no longer has a mobili-zation mission, the fact is the installation is busier conducting training, he said.

In FY 2012, for example, the installation hosted seven ex-

ercises. Projections indicate the exercise training total will in-crease from 15,283 personnel in FY 2012 to 28,950 personnel for FY 2015.

Funding challenges will include potential fallout effects from the Continuing Resolution Authority and Sequestration process.

Nott said many of the answers about the effects these will have on Fort McCoy are uncertain at this time. �e installation likely will be operating in a constrained fiscal environment.

Another concern is the dissolution of the enterprise. Nott said this means services still are provided to customers but the organizations supplying the services no longer are garrison or-ganizations. �e garrison acts in a service integration role rather than in a command role.

Recent examples include the Network Enterprise Center and the Directorate of Logistics both being aligned with com-mands not located at Fort McCoy.

From a training standpoint, the challenge will be to increase institutional training to provide a better balance with transient and exercise training, he said.

Future challenges also may include another round of Base Realignment and Closure Action (BRAC).

Nott said looking at the data may indicate a pattern of the Congress setting or considering a 10-year cycle, which would make the next BRAC due in 2015.

He added he believes the same factors that helped Fort Mc-Coy make it through the previous BRACs are still in place, so the installation is likely to survive any potential BRAC ac-tions.

Nott also noted that he has held and will hold town hall meetings with the various garrison directorates and organiza-tions throughout the year to provide updates about the instal-lation’s mission and projects.

to eligible active-duty Soldiers on permanent-change-of-station orders who are on the Fort McCoy housing waiting list, O’Neil said.

Another project proceeding in the area is the renovation of the South Post Community Center.

O’Neil said the project is on track to be

completed by spring 2013.�e facility will feature an expanded com-

munity room and also will be the new location for the Housing Management Office.

�is would bring everything related to housing together in that area, which would provide better customer service, O’Neil said.

Maj. Gen. Glenn J. Lesniak, the deputy commanding general for support of the U.S. Army Reserve, explains the Army Re-serve capability to act in situations of immediate response to save lives, prevent human su�ering, or mitigate great property damage. Lesniak spoke at the Defense Support of Civil Authorities symposium at Fort McCoy Jan. 16.

authorities to develop contingency plans that can be used to support,” said Lesniak.

�ere are some inherent difficulties in enabling the DSCA to use the capabilities and personnel of America’s defense forces.

“�e National Guard has gained experience over the past few years synchronizing not only the efforts of the Army and Air National Guard units within the United States, but also those of our interagency partners to include local law enforce-ment, the first responder network, FEMA, and state, local, and tribal government. Incorporating additional service compo-nents with robust and unique capabilities is the next logical progression in the DSCA evolution,” said Gerety.

“Naturally the complexity of any response increases as the number of responding agencies increases. However, the com-mand-and-control network has been established, through the use of a dual status-commander within each state, to ensure unity of effort during any response,” she added.

Lesniak added, “�e role of a dual-status commander miti-gates the risk of involving multiple services. Military units normally function in task force organizations so the concept and function of a dual-status commander is not unusual. Also, engaging with National Guard and local authorities for plan-

ning of and participating in emergency-management exercises reduces the risk of confusion and complexity in the event of an actual disaster.”

Annually, the military embarks on training that involves natural disasters, chemical, nuclear, biological, radioactive and other types of training. �e use of this training often involves multiple services. �e employment of federal forces in reference to the DSCA was a way to tie this training together.

�e Department of Defense (DoD) defines civil support as “Department of Defense support to civil authorities for domes-tic emergencies, and for designated law enforcement and other activities.”

Civilian authorities retain primary responsibility during civil-support operations with DoD supporting mission re-quirements. When federally activated, National Guard troops conduct civil-support missions as members of the Army or Air National Guard of the United States.

Finally, Army Reserve Soldiers and units may respond to local governments under the Immediate Response Authority to save lives and prevent human suffering. Several requirements must be met, and the authority is limited to 72 hours.

Enabling the DSCA promises the use of personnel and equipment to thwart suffering from the population — the goal is to minimize agony from natural disasters.